2026 Discovering the Future of AI Grant Award Recipients Have Been Announced!
A University of Pennsylvania event in collaboration with the Office of Governor Josh Shapiro
Join leading AI experts and policymakers for a day of discovery, dialogue, and strategy at the University of Pennsylvania. This one-day conference is designed for Pennsylvania state and local government leaders who are eager to understand how generative AI can be responsibly harnessed for public benefit.
As generative AI rapidly reshapes the future of public service, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is stepping into a leadership role—committed to innovation, equity, and ethical governance. This full-day summit, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, will bring together state and city officials, agency heads, nonprofit leaders, and Penn faculty for a focused exploration of how generative AI can advance the public good.
Anchored in Governor Josh Shapiro’s core policy priorities—including education, healthcare, financial access, and public safety—Unlocking AI for Public Good will showcase how cutting-edge research and real-world innovation are converging in Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth.
With participants bringing diverse levels of AI knowledge, the summit is designed to level-set across key policy areas—providing a shared understanding of where generative AI stands today, what’s on the horizon, and what’s realistic, ethical, and useful now. Through expert-led sessions and dialogue, attendees will gain the clarity and context needed to make informed decisions about the power and possibility of generative AI for Pennsylvania.
With more than $90 billion in AI development and energy projects recently announced for Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth is entering a pivotal moment. As the state positions itself among the national leaders in AI readiness, there is a growing demand for trusted expertise to guide thoughtful, evidence-based policy. This conference is designed to
Thursday, October 30, 2025
8:30 am (registration) - 5:15 PM ET
Annenberg Zellerbach Theater
3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
Free; Invitations are non-transferrable
Information about traveling to the conference.
Parking: The most convenient garage is at 38th Street & Walnut Street.
Information about traveling to the conference Hotel Room ReservationsConvenient Hotels recommended by Penn
Invitation Only. Space is limited. Advance registration will be required.
For questions or more information, please contact Penn AI.
http://penn-ai@upenn.edu
Vijay Kumar
Nemirovsky Family Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Science
Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Katharine O. Strunk
Dean, Graduate School of Education
George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education
Neil Weaver
Secretary of Administration, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Ethan Mollick
Ralph J. Roberts Distinguished Faculty Scholar
Associate Professor of Management
Co-Director, Generative AI Labs at Wharton
Rowan Fellow
Kevin B. Mahoney
Chief Executive Officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System
Governor Josh Shapiro
48th Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
President J. Larry Jameson
University of Pennsylvania
Rajeev Alur
Zisman Family Professor, School of Engineering and Applied Science
Founding Director, Asset Center
George Demiris
Mary Alice Bennett University Professor, School of Nursing;
Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Dyscover: An AI-Based Detection Tool for Dyslexia
Winners of the 2025 Wharton Hack-AI-thon
(Monisha Krothapalli, Mallika Kulkarni, and Shriya Sane)
Desmond Upton Patton
31st PIK University Professor, School of Social Policy and Practice
Waldo E. Johnson Jr. Professor, Annenberg School for Communication
Founding Director, SAFElab
Founding Faculty Director, Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation and Technology
Sync Labs
Winner of the 2025 Penn President’s Innovation Prize (Alex Popescu)
Ali Zaidi
Professor of Practice, School of Engineering and Applied Science
Alex Engler
Executive Director of the Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy
Annie Newman
Director of Digital Strategy, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Neil K. Makhija
Montgomery County Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Elections
Akbar Hossain
Secretary of Policy and Planning, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Kevin Werbach, Liem Sioe Liong/First Pacific Company Professor and Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, Wharton School
Cary Coglianese, Edward B. Shils Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science, Penn Carey Law, Penn Program on Regulation
Michael Kearns, National Center Professor of Management and Technology, School of Engineering and Applied Science; Founding Director, Warren Center for Network and Data Sciences
Daniel Taylor, Professor of Accounting, Wharton School
Kevin Werbach, Liem Sioe Liong/First Pacific Company Professor and Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, Wharton School
Moderated by Wendy Spicher, Secretary of Banking and Securities, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Richard Berk, Emeritus Professor of Criminology and Statistics, School of Arts and Sciences
Richard Berk, Emeritus Professor of Criminology and Statistics, School of Arts and Sciences
Paul Heaton, Professor of Law, Penn Carey Law; Academic Director, Quattrone Center for Fair Administration of Justice
Sandra Mayson, Professor of Law, Penn Carey Law
Shelley Watson, Secretary of the Board of Pardons, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Moderated by Steve Williams, Policy and Legislative Director for Lieutenant Governor Davis
Michael Golden, Vice Dean of Innovative Programs and Partnerships, and Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Education
Betty Chandy, Director for Online Learning with Catalyst @ Penn GSE, Graduate School for Education
Seiji Isotani, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education
Shiyan Jiang, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education
Yasmin Kafai, Lori and Michelle Milken President's Distinguished Professor, Graduate School of Education
Carrie Rowe, Acting Secretary of Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Moderated by Tori Shriver, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education and Workforce Development, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Raina Merchant, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine; Chief Transformation Officer and Vice President, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Val Arkoosh, Secretary of Human Services, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Kevin Johnson, David L. Cohen University Professor of Pediatrics, Biomedical Informatics and Science Communication, Perelman School of Medicine
Marissa King, Alice Y. Hung President's Distinguished Professor of Professor of Health Care Management, Wharton School
Marylyn Ritchie, Vice Dean for Artificial Intelligence and Computing, Perelman School of Medicine; Vice President for Research Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Moderated by Lindsey Mauldin, Deputy Chief of Staff for Health and Human Services, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
